Chair.



G. F. CLUFF, 1n.

CHAIR.

APPLICATION min AuG.s.1916.

1,231,129. PatentedJune 26,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

1HE MORRIS PEERS 50,. PNamLITHO. WASHING mN. D. c.

G. F. CL'UFF,1.

CHAIR.

APPLlcATloN FILED AuG.5. |916.

1,231,129, Patented June 26,1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' WITNESS INVEN TOR.

GEORGE F. CLUFF, JR., or' SACRAMENTO, oALI'roRNrA.

CHAIR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1917.

Application med August 5, 191e. serial No. 113,307.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE'F. CLUFF, J r., a citizen of the United States, residingv at Sacramento, in the county of Sacramento, State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Chairs; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of vreference marked thereon, which form a part of this application.

This invention relates to an improvement in chairs and is particularly designed for that class of folding chairs which are used in'thea-ters and other places where it is necessary to obtain as large a seating capacity as possible, within a certain Hoor space. The distance between the rows of chairs is often so small that it is diiiicult to passv between unless the chair is folded'up, and, to provide an automatic self folding device has been the principal object of my invention. The chair is so constructed that upon arising from the seat of such chair the seat will automatically fold upward thereby adding approximately the widthV of the chair seat t0 the aisle which will .permit a clearer and easier exit from the' aisle. This would be a great convenience in case ofiire or panicas people 'would not be compelled to stop and lift the chair seats up to clear the aisles.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensive device and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposes for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relative arrangement of the parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specification and claim.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

Figure 1 is a side view of the chair in its normal folded position and shown by dotted lines in extended position.

Fig. 2 is a front view ofthe chair in folded position.

Fig. 3 is a section of the 'guide takenon a line X-X of Fig. l.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on the drawings the numeral 1 indicates the outside member of the standard and the numeral 1a the inside member of the standard, both of which standing in spaced vertical position act to form one leg or complete standard of the chair, while on the opposite side the kmembers 2 and 2a perform the same function.

The uprights 1 and 1'1 will be held together by a fill block 3 at the top and another block 4 disposed about 'one-fourthof the way down. At the foot of the standard I have provided a shoe 5 having a lug 6 extending up between the spaced members 1--1a of the standard and have cut the shoe 5 on the bottom at an angle as shown at 7 to correspond with' the dro'p of the floor 8. This block may be cut at any desired angle to correspond with the angle of the licor upon which it may b'e used. The members 2 and 2a will be fastened together by fill blocks and a shoe in exactly the same manner.

When the 'chairs 'are to be built in units or long rows the change will be made by adding vanother lug 6a Vupon the block 5 and fastening another leg 2b to the same. This construction will provide another clear space for the moving parts of the next chair.

'The standards or. legs l-la and Q-Qa will be fastened rigidly together at the base by the floor 8 and `by transverse braces 9-9a--- Qband 9c. These braces will stiffen the lower part of the chair frame and the brace 9 will lact as al foot rest. lAbout midway of the standards I have provided another transverse wide flat brace 10. The cross pieces of the upholstered back 11a will serve to fasten the standards together at the top.

I have now constructed a rigid frame to which is fastened the following members: To the cross brace 10 by means of hinges 11 I have fastened the seat 12 of the chair which may be suitably upholstered and of any desired form. To hold this seat 12 in vertical position I have fastened a weight 13 to the chair by curved wire supports 14 and 15.

The weight 13 will be hollow, as shown at 13a, and provided with a plug 13b for entrance to this hollow chamber which may be filled with shot or other heavy substance so that the weight may be adjusted to correctly counter balance the weight of the seat and arms of the chair.

The seat 12 will be provided on each side with side pieces 12a which extend back into the space between the uprights of each standard, and in the end of each side piece 12a I have cut slots 16 and provide pins, as at'l?, upon which are mounted links 18` The side arms 19 of the chair will be pivotally mounted upon pins 20 extending through lugs 21 projecting from the upright standards. The arms 19 will be extended back into the space between the members of either standard, as at 19, and provided with slots 22 and pins 23. The above mentioned links 18 will be mounted upon these pins 23.

The operation of the 'seat and arms will now be apparent as by pulling down either vupon the seat or the links, the connecting arm 18 will move them both simultaneously to a horizontal position. Rubber bumpers 24 are placed upon the bottom of the fill blocks 4 which will act as a stop and a brace for the arms 19 and deaden any noise caused by the arms striking the same. I have also provided rubber bumpers 25 upon the under sides of the arms 19 which will act as a stop for the seat 12. Y

To support the seat 12 while being used in its extended position I have placed upon the bottom and on either side thereof slotted T- shaped guides 26 slidable in which are shoes 27 having extended lugs 27a through which I have provided pins 28 and mounted thereon braces 29.

These braces 29 project downwardly and are pivotally mounted in the space between the uprights of each standard upon pins 30 projecting through lugs 31 on each standard.v

When the seat 12 is pulled down the shoes 27 will immediately slide ahead in the guides 26 and will come to a stop at points 26a where the slots in the guides 26 will terminate. The seat will now be in its extended position and will be rigidly supported by means of these braces 29.

can not be used as a foot rest by the occupant f of the chair immediately behind.

From the foregoing description it will readily be seen that I have produced such a device assubstantially fulfils the objects of the invention as set forth herein.

While this specification sets forth in detail the present and preferred'construction of the device, still in practice such deviations from such detail may beV resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A folding-chair comprising upright'supports, each support comprising two membersr spaced apart, filler blocks interposed in the intervening space between'each pair of upright members7 a seatand chair arms vhinged to the supports in spaced relation and linked together, and projecting portions on the arms arranged to engage the filler blocks when the seat and arms are moved to hori- Zontal position whereby the filler blocks will act as stops and braces for such seat andV arms.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE F. CLUFF, J R.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing` the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

